Process of converting hydrocarbon compounds



Jan. 19, 1932. E. w. BEARDSLEY` ET AL PROCESSOF CONVERTING HYDROCARBON COMPOUNDS Filed Nov.1z, 1929 Patented Jan. 19, 1932.

. UNITED STATES PATENTA OFFICE EDWIN `W. BEARDSLEY, OF TEXAS CITY', TEXAS, AND MYRON W. OOLONY, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNORS TO PETROLEUM CONVERSION CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE PROCESS OF CONVERTING HYDROCARBON COMPOUNDS Application led November 12, 1929. Serial No. 406,610.

The present invention relates to a method of converting petroleum oils in the vapor phase in which the conversion of the oil is brought about by the agency of a gaseous heat-carrier. In the process as practiced by us previous to the present invention, petroleum oil is vaporized .under conditions producing little or no cracking thereof and the produced vapor led'directly into a reaction chamber in which it is physically mingled with a gaseous heat-carrier of such temperature and quantity as to effect the conversion of such vapor. We have now -discovered that the amount of carrier gas needed may be reduced substantially by superheating the vapor before it isadmitted to the reaction chamber. In previous processes for carrying out cracking in the vapor phase reliance has been placed exclusively upon exf ternally heated coils for accomplishing the cracking of the petroleum vapor. The difficulty there has been that in order to eifect cracking of the vapor it has been necessary to heat f the oil vapor to a comparatively high temperature over an appreciable time interval during which time cracking took place with concomitant percipitation of free carbon whichhad the effect of clogging the tubes and materially shortening the life thereof by causing them to burn out. In our present process, however, while the oil vapor in a substantially dry state is heated to above the initial cracking temperatures in the superheating coil not enough time is given the oil vapor to crack and to deposit carbon. It is to be kept in mind that cracking is distinctly a function both of temperature and time so thatA if the velocity of the vapor through the superheating coil be great enough, substantial v no cracking will take place therein.

-By he use of our invention less carrier gas may be used per pound of oil converted. This not only results in a markedeconomy in the operation of the plant by increasing its capacity hut also facilitates the recovery of the residual vapors from the carrier gas due to the increased proportion of such vapors therein.

The temperature to which the superheating may be carried without cracking depends upon various factors as for example the veloc1ty `of the vapor through the superheater as well as the ability of the tubes to Withstand heating to the temperatures involved. However, as a guide to those wishing to practice the present invention, we may state that we have employed a vapor temperature of 900 F. in the superheater with satisfactory results both as to economy of operation and length of life for the tubes used. The pressure used is largely a matter of choice; in practice we have employed a pressure in the flash drum 33 of from 50 to 7 5 pounds per square inch and contemplate the use of a pressure up to 100 pounds per square inch. The pressure in the vaporizing coil '29 is, of course, somewhat greater and depends upon the back pressure created therein by the expansion of the liquid into vapor.

'Our invention will be best understood by reference to the following detailed description of the process to which it has been applied taken with the accompanying drawing in which apparatus is shown sultablel for carrying out said process.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference, there is shown a regenerative heater or hot blast stove 10 to which'relatively cold carrier gas is admitted by means of a pipe 11 having a valve 12. Gas so admitted to the stove travels upwardly through the central iues formed by the refractory checkerwork 13 and then down a central flue 14 into-a chamber 15 which serves as the combustion chamber when the stove is heated up. From chamber 15 the hot gas is passed thru the pipe 17 having a valve 18 therein to a reaction chamber 19. For the purpose of regulating the g temperature of such gas whereby a supply thereof `is had of uniform temperature a vertically extending baffle 28, vaporizing coil 29 and superheating coil 30. The oil traversing coil 29 is for the most part unvaporized until it is admitted to a drum 33 to which it is connected by means of a pipe 31, the| oil having been heated during its passage through the vaporizing coil to approximately 700 to 800 F. In this drum a.portion of the oil ashes into vapor which, after passing around baiiles 34 which act to separate out any entrained liquid particles, .passes out through a pipe connection 35 through pipe 36 to superheating coil 30 where the vapors are superheated to a temperature which may be varied from about 800 to about 900 F. depending upon various factors including the nature of the charging stock andthe cracking temperature to be employed. From coil 30 the superheated oil vapor passes through pipe 37 into the reaction chamber 19 wherein it wis converted by the action of the heat carrier gas admitted through main 18. The cracking temperature preferably employed in the present process is approximately 1020 F. The mixture of cracked vapor and carrier gas leaves chamber 19 through a pipe 40 to appropriate heat interchange and condensing devices.

Vapor line 37 also has a valve connection 41 with pipe connection 35 leading from the drum 33 whereby if desired a portion of the oil vapor produced in drum 33 may be admitted directly into the reaction chamber through pipe 37. By this means the temperature of the superheated vapor may be subjected to accurate control. We also provide a return connection from drum 33 to coil 29 comprising pipe 43, pump 44v and suitable valves 45, 46 on either side of said pump. In addition a blow-down connection 48 is also provided for drum 33. By means ofthe above described connections, the coil in drum 33 may be continuously .circulated through the coil 39 and the residual portions continuously removed from said drum through pipe 48. We also provide a gas or steam connection 50 to said drum through which steam or a neutral gas may be introduced to facilitate vaporization.

In the apparatus shown, the superheating coil is disposed in the same furnace as the vaporizer coil, it being obvious that a separately heated superheating coil may be used, if desired.

In the drawing we have desi nated temperatures which have been foun advantageous in the practice of the invention, such temperatures illustrating the relationship of the temperatures at various points throughout the system; it will be understood, however, that of necessity these temperatures, particularly those outside the reaction chamber, will vary considerably depending upon various operating conditions and types of apparatus and nature of the oil stock used.

The specific apparatus shown is claimed in the co-pending application of one of the present applicants, Edwin W. Beardsley, filed November 12', 1929, Serial No. 406,608. As stated in that application, the vaporizing coil 29 and the superheater coil 30 may be located in separate furnaces if desired.

This application is a continuation in part of our pending application Serial No. 65,906, filed October 31, 1925.

I claim:

1. In the method of converting petroleum oil into compounds suitable as motor fuels, the steps which consist in heating up a carrier-gas to at least the vapor phase conversion temperature, passing same to a reaction zone, subjecting a petroleum oil to vaporizing. conditions without substantial cracking thereof, separating said vapor from the nonvaporized oil, superheating the substantially dry vapor in a superheating zone to a point within the Vapor phase cracking range but passing the vapor through such superheating zone andi'nto said reaction chamber at such a rate that no substantial cracking of the Superheated Vapor takes place in said superheating zone, physically mingling the introduced .vapor and carrier gas in said reaction chamber and there allowing the further heating and conversion of the introduced vapor to take place, removing the mingled carriergas and converted products therefrom and subjecting them to liquefaction conditions to separate out compounds suitable as motor fuels. l

2. The process according to claim 1 in which the vapor is superheated to a temperature of around 900o F., and below the temerature of the heat-carrier gas.

3. In the method of converting petroleum oil into compounds suitable as motor fuels, the steps which consist in heating up a carrier-gas to above the vapor phase conversion temperature, passing same to a reaction zone, subjecting a petroleum oil to vaporizing conditions without substantial cracking thereof, separating said vapor from the non-vaporized oil, superheating the substantially dry vapor in a superheating zone to a point within the vapor phase cracking range but passing the vapor through such superheating zone and into said reaction chamber at such a rate that no substantial cracking of the superheated vapor takes place in said superheating zone, hysically mingling the introduced vapor an carrier gas in said reaction chamber' and there allowing the further heating and conversion of the introduced vapor to take place, removing the mingled carrier-gas and converted products therefrom and subjecting them to liquefaction conditions to separate out compounds suitable as motor fuels, and in which the temperature of the vapor prior to superheating is around 700 F.

4. In the method of converting petroleum oil into compounds suitable as motor fuels, the steps which consist in heating up a carrier gas to above the vapor-phase conversion temperature, passing same to a reaction zone, passing petroleum oil through a heating coil, admitting the produced oil and vapor mixture to/a iash drum, separating the liquid particles from said vapor and superheating the substantially dry vapor in a superheating zone to a point within the vapor phase cracking range but passing the vapor through such superheating zone and into said reaction chamber at such a rate that no substantial cracking of the superheated vapor takes place in said superheating zone, physically mingling the introduced vapor and carrier gas in said reaction chamber and there allowing the further heating and conversion of the introduced vapor to take place, removing the mingled carrier-gas and converted prod- .ucts therefrom and subjecting them to liquefaction conditions to separate out compounds suitable as motor fuels.

5. In the method of converting petroleum oil into compounds suitable as motor fuels,

the steps which consist in heating up a car-` rier gas to above the vapor phase conversion temperature, passing same to a reaction zone, passing petroleum oil through a heating coil, admittmg the produced oil and vapor mixture to a iiash drum, simultaneously admitting an inert gas facilitating vaporization to said drum,separatingtheliquid particles from said vapor and superheating the substantially dry vapor in a superheating zone to a point within the vapor phase cracking range but passing the vapor through such superheating zone and into said reaction chamber at such a rate that no substa-ntial cracking of the superheated vapor takes place in said superheating zone, physically mingling the introduced vapor and carrier gas in said reaction chamber and there allowing the further heat-- ing and conversion of the introduced vapor to take place, removing the mingled carriergas and converted products therefrom and subjecting them to liquefaction conditions to separate outcompounds suitable as motor fuels.

l 6. In the method of converting petroleum oil into compounds suitable as motor fuels, the steps which consist in heating up a carrier-gas to above the vapor phase conversion temperature, passing same to a reaction zone,

take place at a temperature of' approximately l,000 F., removing the mingled carrier- 'gas and converted products therefrom and subjecting them to liquefaction conditions to separate out compounds suitable as motor fuels. i

7. In the method of converting petroleum oil into compounds suitable as motor fuels, the steps which consist in heat-ing up a carrier-gas to above the vapor phase conversion temperature, passing same to a reaction zone, subjecting a, petroleum oil to vaporizing conditions without substantial cracking thereof, separating the vapor from the non-vaporized oil, superheating the substantially dry vapor in a superheating zone to a temperature in excess of *800 F. and below the temperaturev lof the heat carrier gas but passing the vapor through such superheating zone and into said reaction chamber at such a rate that no substantial cracking of the superheated vapor takes place in said superheating zone, physically mingling the introduced vapor and carrier gas in said reaction chamber and there allowing the further heating and conversion of the introduced vapor to take place at a temperature in excess of said superheated vapors, removing the mingled carrier-gas and converted products therefrom and subjecting them to liquefaction conditions to separate out compounds suitable as motor fuels.

8. In the method of converting petroleum oil into compounds suitable as motor fuels, the steps which consist in heating up a carrier-gas to above the vapor phase conversion temperature, passing same to a reaction zone# subjecting a petroleum oil to vaporizing conditions without substantial cracking thereof, separating the vapor from the non-vaporized oil, superheating the substantially dry vapor` in a superheating zone to a temperature in excess of 800 F. and below the temperature of the heat-carrier gas but passing the vapor through such superheating zone and into said reaction chamber at such a rate that no substantial cracking of the superheated vapor takes place in said superheating zone, physically mingling the introduced vapor and carrier gas in said reaction chamber and there allowing the further heating and conversion of the introduced vapor to take place at a. temperature in excess of said superheated `vapors and in the nei hborhood of 1,000 F.,

removing the min le carrier gas and converted products t erefrom and subjecting them to liquefaction conditions to separate out compounds suitable as motor fuels.

In testimony whereof I have aiiixed my signature to this specification.

MYRON W. COLONY. In testimony whereof I have afixed my signature to this specification.

EDWIN W. BEARDSLEY. 

